Paving machines are generally used for laying heated paving material, such as, bituminous aggregate mixtures or asphalt, onto a roadbed or other ground surface. After heated asphalt is laid, it is spread, leveled and compacted such that upon cooling, a surface with a uniform, smooth surface that becomes passable by vehicles is achieved. In order to spread the heated asphalt, a paving machine, known as a screed, is typically used. Such screeds can be pulled by a tractor, truck or the like or can be self-propelled. The truck or the tractor supplies the asphalt from a hopper to screw augers, which transport the asphalt material laterally in front of screed elements that heat, compress, compact and manipulate the asphalt downwardly to form a “mat” of paving material, ideally of uniform thickness and surface finish.
Conventional screed elements are of a set width. However, in certain paving applications, such as driveways, parking lots, and the like, varying the asphalt mat width may be desired. As a result, width-adjustable or extendable screed arrangements have become common for varying the width of the asphalt mat without interrupting the paving process. Typically, extendable screeds consist of a main screed element of a fixed width and hydraulically extendable screed elements that are capable of extending from each end of the main screed element. Screed elements may be equipped with endgates that act to contain the asphalt material in front of the screed elements and not allow the asphalt material to migrate laterally past the endgates.
During normal operation of the screed, an operator typically makes several adjustments to the angle of attack of the screed elements to affect the depth of the asphalt mat being laid. To maintain the asphalt material between the endgates as the depth of the asphalt mat is adjusted, the endgates may be extended (e.g., lowered) or retracted (e.g., raised). An often desired position of the endgate is a sliding contact with the surface being paved upon. Also, an endgate may need to be extended to ride on top of a curb, while the surface next to the curb is paved. When the asphalt mat thickness changes incrementally or the surface being paved upon becomes uneven, the endgates may be operated to adjust them to float at the new paving depth.
Thus, depending upon the requirements of the surface being paved, an operator must continually adjust the endgate height to maintain the endgate in the correct position. Conventionally, the endgates are operated and adjusted manually using handcranks that are provided on each endgate. While handcranks indeed work to vary the height of the endgates, several disadvantages are associated with this method. For example, an operator typically walks along the screed to observe the surface that is being paved and based on their observation (e.g., uniformity of the surface) and the thickness of the mat that is desired, the operator may change the height of the endgates. For manually operating the endgates, the operator must go back to the endgates and manually operate the handcranks for changing the height of the endgates. This process is not only time consuming, it also relies on the correct operation of the handcranks, which are subject to breaking down given their frequent use throughout the day in a paving process.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a reliable and easy to use system and method for adjusting the height of the endgates of screed paving machines. It would be beneficial if such a system and method could be used by an operator to adjust the height of the endgates while walking alongside the screed.